School Uniforms (If only they could all be British!)

School uniforms are a controversial topic in America. Some people think they keep the students focused, some people think they repress them. My purpose is not to discuss whether students should have uniforms or not-it is why the uniforms look the way they do and why schools decide to have their students wear them. 

The look of school uniforms is reminiscent of old-fashioned English school children. The uniforms are commonly trousers, button down shirt, tie and sweater or sweater vest for boys; and a polo shirt under a plaid jumper with knee socks for girls. Rarely, girls have a pant option. This dress aesthetic is very conservative, traditional, country club-esque. Children do not usually dress this way unless they are going to church or a polo match perhaps. The use of plaid in most uniforms is also a link to the motherland of Great Britain as plaid was invented there. The look of these clothes tells you that they are little ladies and gentlemen who are ready to be serious and studious, and that they are either really rich, or really poor.


The use of school uniforms in the United States had been limited to private school children in the past. Now, some public schools and almost all charter schools require them. Seeing the stereotypical rich, white child in a starched uniform told you the class and status of the child and their family immediately. This can be seen today around the country in the most prestigious of schools. The progressive, independent schools never have uniforms, and although the children are just as rich, the families want to promote individuality-in contrast the child might get to dress him or herself. The social class is rich and intellectual.

Public schools with uniforms generally have them as an option, or as an unenforced rule, usually so the children cannot tell who is rich or poor by their clothes-but since it is unenforced you might see children in regular clothes, children in half-uniform and children in full uniform all together. The idea is that the school cares, but it is the parent’s choice.

Charter schools are under the mission of providing a private school education as a free public school. They are a business that must have a successful product (smart kids) to stay in business. Part of this is to create and uphold the right image to attract the customer (families/press/donors). So you take poor, black kids and dress them as their rich white counterparts dress for school. The uniform is not optional. The design of the uniform for very young children can actually impede them from learning (ties that are played with, belts that are hard to undo causing lots of accidents, girls not having pants and having to constantly tell them to sit/play so their underwear do not show) but as the director says, “The uniforms just pull on the donors heart-strings.”

Although children all over the world wear school uniforms as an alternative to play clothes, New York City always has to take it to the next level. For better or worse.